CHICAGO— As Illinois nursing home owners come under heightened scrutiny for improper patient discharges and inadequate staffing care, nursing home workers will picket at 11 nursing homes in the Chicago area on Friday, including Alden Wentworth on the South Side and Legacy Chalet on the North to stand up for fair wages, quality jobs, and patient care.

Over 10,000 nursing home workers at 103 facilities have, as members of SEIU Healthcare Illinois, been fighting to negotiate a new contract for over a year to improve the quality of nursing home jobs and address concerns over low wages and patient care. Yet, despite receiving about $1 billion in revenue each year and an increasing number of residents, for-profit nursing home owners have refused to significantly raise staffing levels and have actively worked to keep wages low.
The owners want the right to pay workers less than the minimum wage – despite the demanding nature of their work, the level of skill and training required and the crucial role workers play in safeguarding the well-being of seniors and people with disabilities in their care.
WHAT: Over 1,000 nursing home workers will picket at 11 facilities across Chicago and in Aurora and Rockford for fair wages, quality jobs and quality care.
WHEN and WHERE:
South Side
Alden Wentworth and Princeton
201 West 69th Street, Chicago, IL 60621
Picketing from 2:30 to 6PM
4 PM Press Conference to include the following community supporters:
Commissioner Chuy Garcia, CTU President Karen Lewis, Alderman Rod Sawyer, entrepreneur and philanthropist JB Pritzker, Chicago City Treasurer Kurt Sommers, Bob Reiter Secretary-Treasurer Chicago Federation of Labor, Denise Poloyac SEIU Local 73, SEIU Healthcare Illinois Executive Vice President Greg Kelley, Pastor W. James Jenkins, Jr., State Legislators (if Out of Session), local community organizations, and union members from various unions.
North Side
Legacy Chalet
7350 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60626
Picketing from 2:30 to 6PM
4 PM Press Conference to include the following community supporters:
U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky, Gubernatorial Candidate Amaya Pawar, Rabbi Brant Rosen, SEIU Healthcare Illinois President Keith Kelleher, Dan Montgomery President Illinois Federation of Teachers, Al Lorens Vice-President Illinois Education Association, Robert Lynch President AFCME COUNCIL 31, Lynda Delaforgue Director Citizen Action, State Legislators (if Out of Session), local community organizations, and union members from various unions.
Aurora
Alden Waterford
2021 Randi Dr., Aurora, IL 60504
Picketing from 1:30 to 5PM
3:30 PM Press Conference to including State Representatives (If Out of Session)
Rockford
Alden Debes
550 S Mulford Rd., Rockford, IL 61108
Picketing from 1:30 to 5PM
3:30 PM Press Conference to including State Representatives (If Out of Session)
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